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Need An Alternative To QuickBooks?

Posted on by Matt Bernot

Taking stock of everything that goes into your business’s accounting processes isn’t always as easy as popping numbers into a spreadsheet. 

There are many great software products that will handle all of your basic accounting needs—QuickBooks is one of the most popular choices among small business owners due to its affordability, intuitive UX, and reliability.

However, one crucial aspect of accounting and accounting software tends to be routinely overlooked: it goes far beyond the numbers.

QuickBooks is great for crunching the numbers. For small- and medium-sized business owners, this is often priority #1. Once this need is met, what happens next? Will QuickBooks be able to offer your business the additional tools required to grow? 

Just because QuickBooks and Quickbooks Online provide a viable solution for many small businesses doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best choice for yours.

If your business is even starting to feel as though it requires a more robust, personalized, and human approach to accounting software, it’s time to start asking some of the important questions that will lead you down a better, more productive path.

Why Do I Need A QuickBooks Alternative?

You may already know that your business is ready to make the switch to a more full-bodied accounting solution, or you may not. If you’ve already enrolled in Quickbooks or QuickBooks Online, the reasons for leaving may be less apparent at first.

Financial management goes well beyond accounting—understanding, analyzing, and improving upon your organization’s complete financial health requires connectivity to all silos of your business. This means your accounting software solution should integrate seamlessly with your CRM, inventory management, and project management solutions.

In an ideal scenario, housing all of these processes under one roof (an all-in-one software solution) will improve all aspects of your business. In fact, 64% of companies that make the switch to ERP software noted an increase in business performance. 

glowing computer

Outgrowing QuickBooks isn’t simply about outgrowing accounting software—it’s about exploring new methods, approaches, and technologies that are vital in achieving and sustaining long term, year-over-year growth. 

Any single-purpose software, no matter how proficient, can ultimately only be just that. For your entire organization to operate at its maximum efficiency and potential, it takes a software that seamlessly connects every corner of your business. 

An all-in-one software solution provides more than just accurate numbers—it increases efficiency and accuracy across the board. Don’t spend time tracking down documents and transferring files between software applications. If all of your data transparently lives in one place, you’ll be able to find single, accurate, and universally accessible data sets with ease. 

ERP software with natively integrated accounting is much more cost efficient than QuickBooks in terms of the total services offered. While QuickBooks provides excellent and cost-efficient accounting services, it doesn’t offer the complete suite of functionalities that ERP software can.


As your business scales up, you’ll need a full suite of features that can scale with it.

6 Reasons To Integrate Your Accounting and CRM Software

How To Know When You’re Outgrowing QuickBooks

It’s much easier to know what you’ll gain from something than it is to know exactly when to implement the plan. Is there ever a good time to “break up” with QuickBooks?

If you can answer “yes” to some or all of the following questions, it could be a sign that your business is beginning to outgrow QuickBooks:

  • Is it difficult, impossible, or too time consuming to import and export data between QuickBooks and other systems/software?
  • Do you find yourself manually re-entering data in multiple places?
  • Do you have more than 30 users that need access to financial information?
  • Do you feel like you and/or your staff could be doing more to reduce errors?
  • Are you relying too heavily on workarounds to manage information?
  • Is it difficult to manage the oft-changing budget requirements of tasks and projects?
  • Are you having trouble updating, keeping track of, and/or monitoring your inventory in real time?

But what happens when you’re ready to add additional inventory? When you need variable billing services? When some of your employees are working remotely?

charts on keyboard

Even if you find yourself answering “yes” to many of the questions above, it’s natural to be hesitant about making a software switch. Transferring the entirety of your data may seem like a logistical nightmare at first glance. Fortunately, that’s far from the reality. 

The main reason that this type of data transfer isn’t as painful as originally perceived has nothing to do with software—it’s all about the support staff behind the software. 

Beyond taking care of the back-end, development-centric hurdles, the software you move on to in your post-QuickBooks journey should have a stellar team of professionals that assist throughout the onboarding process. 

Whether you want to proceed with a slow, management-first rollout, a hybrid (business or product specific) rollout, or an immediate “big bang” rollout, the choice should be yours—with intelligent recommendations from software professionals, of course.

In short, look for software that has a support team who really understands you and your business beyond the numbers.

What To Look For In A QuickBooks Alternative 

We’ve covered the “why” and the “when”—naturally, it’s time to talk specifically about the features to look for in a QuickBooks Online alternative. Beyond accounting, it’s important to explore what other ERP alternatives have to offer. After all, your finances are just one piece of puzzle.

Universal Accessibility

These days, the ability to access financial data from anywhere is more important than ever. Whether you’re on a phone, tablet, or a personal computer, you need accurate information at a glance. 

You’re not the only one who will benefit from this—the right ERP will allow you to provide instant access to anyone you specifically authorize. Cloud accounting software allows this data to be securely shared with your external accountant, CPA, legal counsel, or any other financial professional. 

Integrated CRM

A common approach for many businesses is to purchase separate accounting and CRM software solutions. While it may seem prudent at first to differentiate between data from the sales and accounting departments, the opposite is true—these two data sets need to properly communicate at all times.

Numbers don’t always tell the whole story—just because certain sales figures are positive doesn’t always measure company-wide profitability. Without taking into account the full financial picture of all of your business’s financial silos, recognizing profit is often unnecessarily tedious and time consuming.

Entering data in triplicate, hunting down scattered records, and generating incomplete reports make it difficult to assess a proper financial path going forward. Spending more on new equipment, renovations, and even employees becomes more challenging and time consuming when it’s unclear how much financial ammo you have to spare in the short term. 

In short, software communication, connectivity, and transparency are the keys to unlocking the full power of your finances. 

Project and Task Management

Projects and tasks are hardly set in stone. Goals shift, obstacles appear, and—most importantly for you—budgets need adjusting. If your accounting and project management software don’t communicate, it can be tough to determine the profitability of each individual project.

According to one Harvard Business Review study, 1 in 6 projects had a cost overrun of 200%, with the average project exceeding budgets by 27%. If contracts, invoices, and expense reports are disconnected from the rest of your financial records, it’s much more difficult to identify projects that are draining resources beyond an acceptable threshold. 

Spending less time sorting out the financial and logistical details surrounding a project and more time working on the project itself will not only improve your operational efficiency, it will help give you a clearer, more accurate picture of your bottom line. 

Inventory Management

Taking control of your inventory starts with taking control of the way that you view it. By utilizing software to automate, track, and update the inventory aspect of your supply chain, you’ll be able to more quickly add new items, be notified of low stock levels, and intuitively configure a barcoding protocol.

Data from your sales and purchase orders shouldn’t have to be copied or transferred between multiple software titles—the sales reports you generate should include all pertinent tracking information and vendor costs sourced directly from your inventory management system, not from someone who manually copied data from your inventory management system.

Your revenue stream is the lifeblood of your business. Warehouses full of products, fleets of service vans, various legal documents—whatever industry you’re in, the materials you need for day-to-day operations represent one of the largest operating costs that you’ll have to account for. 

Instead of determining retroactively how much your business spent on specific items, be proactive—not reactive. Make sure all costs of these purchases are available to be viewed and assessed alongside the rest of your finances in a centralized document storage system. 

Wrapping Up Your Search For A QuickBooks Alternative

Accounting software will proficiently handle all of your account needs, but that’s simply not enough.  

Your business is more than just accounting—it’s sales, operations, project management, and so much more. The software you enlist for your business should exemplify this by seamlessly integrating every element of your business under one (digital) roof. 

man using accounting software with a Striven coffee cup

Our experts know exactly how tough it can be to get reliable, accurate, and—in many cases—free information about what software solutions are a good fit for your business. We’ve carefully cultivated a list of the 10 Best Business Management Software solutions to aid you in your search. 

Not every choice is easy—the best decisions seldom are. The best software solutions won’t necessarily be the flashiest or the most popular. Even the term “best” is a relative term—really, the important thing to look for is what software will be the best fit for your business. Adaptability, flexibility, and personalization are what brought you success in the first place. Stick with these same core values when exploring software solutions.

The Best Barcode Scanners and Printers For SMEs

Posted on by Matt Bernot

From storage rooms to the retail floor, barcode scanner technology has revolutionized how businesses manage inventory. 

Barcoding technology has come a long way from its grocery store roots in Troy, Ohio—businesses in nearly every industry that need to manage their perpetual inventory efficiently have taken advantage of barcode scanners and barcode scanner software. 

Using barcode scanning technology comes with a plethora of benefits and competitive advantages:

  • Data and inventory accuracy (humans make an error every 250 keystrokes, while a computer’s error rate is 1/36trillion)
  • Addresses scalability issues (code 39 vs code 128 barcodes provide differing levels of complexity based on your current needs)
  • Increases workflow efficiency (no deciphering handwriting, manually checking product supply, lower training/labor costs)
  • They’re relatively inexpensive (the vast majority of scanners are affordable on any budget and can be easily synced with your business management software)

Barcode scanners will help your employees stay efficient, and inventory management software will help you stay on top of your inventory turnover ratio.

However, one piece is missing—printing the barcodes.

While outsourcing this process is an option, it is often costly and inefficient to your overall operations. If you want 500 SKUs ready to go for tomorrow morning, it will be in your best interest to have a company printer on standby. 

Barcode Scanner Software

While the technological benefits of creating, printing, and utilizing SKUs are apparent, it’s not always as apparent which technology will be best suited for your SME.

Addressing your businesses specific needs will require asking yourself a few questions:

Does your business plan on increasing inventory size?

Is your business planning on diversifying the types of products available for purchase?

Does your business use or plan on using an e-commerce platform?

Do I have inventory management software I can use in tandem with my current equipment and SKUs?

man with clipboard looking at boxes

Although individual business requirements vary, these scanners and printers are equipped to help SMEs expand their operations, save time and money, and overall increase productivity and profitability.

Barcode Scanners

NADAMOO

Overview: In terms of wireless scanning, this scanner has some of the best range as far as indoor scanners are concerned—about 100 yards. While the NADAMOO scanners function fully on laptops and PCs, they are not compatible with tablets and phones. Ideal for retail, warehouse, and any other setting that requires inventory management, this scanner includes a USB cable for easy data transmission. 

Price: Around $35

Other Relevant Details: 20-hour charge, a range of 400 meters, can receive 32 separate data inputs at once.

TaoTronics

Overview: The TaoTronics scanner offers 2-in-1 functionality—supporting connectivity via Bluetooth and USB. In addition, the TaoTronics scanner is supported by most major PCs, tablets, and smartphones. Customization is also a hallmark of this scanner—you can set up a unique code to customize any barcode. 

Price: Around $45

Other Relevant Details: 30-hour charge, 32-bit processor scans 200 times/second

Zebra

Overview: Zebra brand scanners—specifically the DS2208 model—are some of the most high-performing and versatile scanners on the market, and are perfect for every industry. Lightweight and ready to go right out of the box, this Zebra scanner scans barcodes efficiently at any angle and is capable of reading both 1D and 2D barcodes, including QR codes.

Price: Around $125

Other Relevant Details: antimicrobial protection, “aim line” for scanning from a distance, auto-syncs to most POS systems

WoneNice

Overview: A solid plug-and-play choice, this USB-connected scanner handles all of the basic functions a barcode scanner needs. The WoneNice scanner syncs with most hardware and software systems, and seamlessly translates relevant data.

Price: Around $20

Other Relevant Details: can withstand up to a 1.5m drop on concrete, inclination angle 55°, elevation angle 65°

transportation management software system. Two men agreeing over a truckful of barcoded boxes

Barcode Printers

Rollo

Overview: This commercial-grade, high-speed thermal printer is an ideal choice for label printing of all sizes (1.57” to 4.1”). Handling inventory and shipping label sizes, the Rollo printer executes at a rate of one shipping label per second. Compatible with most major operating systems and shipping platforms, the Rollo label printer even comes with free UPS labels.

Price: Around $190

Other Relevant Details: unlimited label height, U.S.-based customer service, how-to-videos included with purchase

Dymo

Overview: The Dymo thermal printer prints addresses, file folder names, and barcode labels at a rate of 51 labels per minute. This cost-effective model allows you to create customized labels from software already installed on your computer in addition to templates being available for download.

Price: Around $67

Other Relevant Details: labels available to be printed in multiple sizes

Brother

Overview: This wifi enabled thermal printer enables you to print in both red and black. At a rate of about 110 labels per second, it is one of the fastest options on the market. The Brother is able to communicate and print from multiple devices at once at 300 dpi. It comes with a 2-year warranty. 

Price: Around $130

Other Relevant Details: includes an automatic cutter for various label sizes, optional battery extender available for portability

Sato

Overview: While priced a bit higher than most other items on this list, there is one main reason for this—it allows for ultra-secure RFID printing. Ideal for clients with sensitive information, this printer is beefed up with customizable features. With up to 600 dpi printing resolution, built-in tag verification, and a durable metal outer shell, this is one of the premiere label printers on the market.

Price: Around $1,200

Other Relevant Details: includes a responsive touchscreen that sends feedback, has automation capabilities and customizations

Looking for inventory management software that can sync with your barcoding equipment, track your inventory, create purchase orders, and develop custom reports? Check out our top picks for the best business management software for inventory management.

Better Virtual Management: Machines and Employees

Posted on by Christine Evans

Everyone can agree that 2020 was a completely unprecedented year for the global economy. The entire supply chain was disrupted and all businesses, workplaces, and employers had to pivot their operations in ways previously unknown.

While prior to 2020 the idea of working at home was mostly relegated to freelance contractors, 2020 catapulted nearly the entire working population into that category. Where business owners found themselves struggling was in the management of machines and employees.

Now, the world economy is starting to recover, but business owners are still grappling with some of the same questions.

How can machine shops engage employees who remain on a work-at-home basis until they can get their vaccine? How can machines be remotely controlled to provide better throughput, workflow, and lights-out management?

These are the questions businesses everywhere need to tackle—and answer—if they are to remain competitive in a post-pandemic world.

Though businesses are primarily looking to return to “business as usual,” the manufacturing world has been forever changed by the events of 2020. That means, as much as business owners want “normal” to return, they face a “new normal” instead. While virtual management may not be as necessary as it was when nearly everyone was working from home in the pandemic days of mid-2020, the adjustments made are going to become part of regular business activities, including the ability to manage machines and employees virtually.

Without virtual management capabilities in place, businesses might just get left behind by those that continue to incorporate these capabilities into their business structure for increased output and profitability.

Invest in Top-Tier CNC Shopfloor Management Software

Better virtual management will always start with digitalizing the shop floor, placing machines and employees on a virtual network that provides instant feedback to both in terms of shop processes, throughput, and machine performance.

The best software that will tie machines and employees together is a suite that allows for the simultaneous and instant management, analysis, and optimization of machine tools. With these three items in place, managers and shop employees can access real-time data, adjust workloads, and gain insight from automatic digital analysis to optimize workflow and machine downtime.

All CNC machine shops recognize that downtime is one of the most significant factors in reducing profitability and employee productivity. When a machine is down, the machine’s operator is then taken offline to focus on troubleshooting issues with the machine. Whether it is past due for maintenance, a tool got out of alignment, or the unit needs to be reconfigured, the operator is taken away from their regular job to troubleshoot, and the machine’s workload is halted until the problem is solved.

machine repair

With the digitalization of the shop floor, unexpected downtime can be dramatically reduced, unexpected problems minimized, and workflow and production boosted. Software that automatically feeds analytic data to machine controllers empowers employees to make critical decisions that save the shop floor, and the company, time and money.

Place More Data Into the Hands of Employees

When a limited number of employees are running the shop floor and managers are left to remotely work with them, empowerment for in-the-moment decision-making is key. The pre-pandemic shop floor ran very differently, with different operators able to run questions by the supervising manager by waving them over to ask a question.

Today’s employees are not only reduced in number, but also their supervising manager might not even be on-site for part of the day. What these employees need is data at their fingertips with guided analysis to make decisions along with the kind of instant communication that allows their supervisors to “OK” their choices.

Remote management software that links CNC machines together can simultaneously provide data to machine controllers and supervisors. With integrated communication software between workers, managers can access the same data set their employees see. Rather than emails or phone calls back and forth, with the right communication software, managers can approve or recommend actions based on real-time data.

Remote management and real-time data give employees the ability to be proactive in suggesting a course of action while providing managers the ability to preside over these decision-making opportunities.

With this kind of data access and communication, employees are given the power to make decisions with the safety net of having managers virtually by their side to provide further information, insight, and opportunities for learning.

Digitalize the Entire Shop Floor Process From Start to Finish

Digitalization only works to its full capacity if the entire process, from product design and machine concept to product execution and machine servicing, is digitalized. While it can be argued that any amount of digitalization is better than none at all, only partially digitalizing the shop floor will more often than not leave employees lacking data, information, and necessary analytics for accurate decision-making. Managers and machine operators alike need the maximum amount of data possible to make decisions effectively.

For machine operators, accessing the entire value chain is critical. They need access to product development, production planning, production timing, required output, machine tool life, and the minute set of data that informs them what the machine can handle.

By accessing this kind of data, the ability for optimization grows exponentially. The more a shop floor can be optimized for workflow, downtime, and throughput, the more shop productivity and industry competitiveness can be increased.

Incorporate Cloud-Based IoT Software

Digitalization is only as good as the ability to access data and remotely interact with it. If a shop switches machines over to a digital process but then proceeds to place the data on an internal server, the digital information is only as good as their on-site ability to process it.

If nothing else, 2020 showed the world that data must be remotely accessed. The answer, of course, is to incorporate cloud-based IoT software when the shop floor is digitalized. 

When machine data streams instantly to the cloud, managers can access and effectively manage shop floor employees regardless of whether they’re in the same state or a different country. Data is key to management and shop floor data must be hosted somewhere other than an internal server. Cloud-based data should be remotely accessible by all parties who are involved in the management and decision-making processes for the shop floor. With remotely accessible data, all employees will have the ability to optimize machine processes, production rates, scheduled downtime, and total shop floor efficiency. 

How Manufacturers Are Innovating in 2021

Posted on by Matt Bernot

As they do every week on Twitter from 2-3pm EST, the great people behind #USAManufacturingHour (@DCSCInc, @CvtPlastics, and @SocialSMktg) lead powerful and informative discussions about the latest topics in manufacturing. This blog is sourced from discussions from the inaugural #MfgHour Virtual Networking Mixer. 

Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes—this is especially true in the manufacturing industry. While the manufacturing industry contributes a whopping 11% to the overall United States GDP, 75.3% of American manufacturers have fewer than 20 employees.

In short, the small business manufacturers of America continue to carry the weight of the economy on their backs.

This is no small feat, especially considering some of the staffing challenges that have plagued manufacturers of late. Despite 8.6% of the United States workforce being employed in the manufacturing industry, 89% of manufacturers report they are having trouble finding qualified workers. 

There are many factors that have contributed to the recent growth of this issue. This is a dilemma that demands industry-wide attention—and in some cases—a fundamental rethinking of business operations.

The future of manufacturing will demand a lot from businesses both big and small. While every manufacturer is unique in terms of their product and service offerings, one theme holds true—innovation is necessary. 

Small Change, Big Result

One of the most curious elements of innovation is that change often starts small. 

Let’s take a step back from manufacturing for a second—this is a theme that holds true across society at large. For example, the average person does not contribute an alarming amount of greenhouse gas emissions. The effect, however, is cumulative—while a single person’s actions don’t dictate the fate of our environment, the aggregate sum of every individual’s actions do in fact help dictate it.

Sure, this is a relatively moribund example, but it does effectively illustrate the point that small actions often have big consequences.

lightbulb idea graphic

In manufacturing, finding innovative and creative ways to increase the frugality of your production while upholding the standard of excellence that your customers and clients have come to expect is certainly no easy task.

Cathy Beck of Grey Sky Films has seen this play out firsthand. Videography had been disrupted by the pandemic—without the ability to have frequent site visits, it was time to think outside the box.

Cathy and her team worked hard to create custom content databases for her clients to access virtually. This not only satisfied her existing client base, but this methodology functioned so smoothly that it led to additional clients coming on board.

In the Beck household, finding innovative solutions is a family affair. Years ago, her husband helped a snack food manufacturer save a significant amount of money and resources with one, small change in product packaging:

“They realized that by minimizing waste by 1/10th of an inch would save them a ridiculous amount of money by the end of the year. Think about that, how tiny that was but how effective it was.” 

Not every innovation has to be a novel invention or a reality-shattering epiphany. Sometimes, all it takes is taking a more detailed and organized approach to the things your business already does well. And as the oft-quoted cliché goes, good things come in small packages. 

Lean Manufacturing Processes

Most of us have found ourselves in a position like this before: we are so hyper-focused—some may say “obsessed”—on the end result of a professional goal that we lose sight of what’s directly in front of us.

In other words, sometimes we put the cart before the horse.

Task management is vital in nearly every industry. In manufacturing, it takes on an elevated level of importance.

People have a tendency to keep their blinders on, especially when it comes to over-focusing on the final outcome of the product. That’s not a bad thing on its own—it’s obviously important to have a clear picture of your end-stage product.

Having only the end result in mind may cause someone to overlook various, crucial aspects of the production process—utilizing more fuel efficient machinery, finding more durable materials, and even assessing how your equipment is arranged on the production floor.

Lermit Diaz, CEO of SCTools, knows a thing or two about how important it is to focus on every detail of the lean manufacturing process. His approach: the size of the change is not as important as the consistency and dedication to every detail that serves the overarching goal:

“The small steps will encourage you to get that objective and you move to the next one and the next one.”

Gina Tabasso from Dar-Tech, Inc shares a similar perspective when it comes to keeping projects and production in scope. As we mentioned earlier, the vast majority of American manufacturers have less than 20 employees. In other words, not every company’s eyes need to be locked in on the jaw-dropping figures that companies like Apple and Volkswagen produce:

“You don’t need to be innovative on a global scale with your company or a process or project – it can be in your individual jobs.”

At the end of the day, make sure that you know what your end goal is—but don’t get lost in chasing it. Take your manufacturing process one granular step at a time. 

Adapting to Modern Manufacturing Methods

Every year brings industry wide change to manufacturing processes and the manufacturing industry as a whole. In 2020, we all experienced just how quickly change could be ushered in. 

For many in the manufacturing industry, it was time to upgrade their online presence. This meant seizing the opportunity for change in a way they hadn’t before.

When asked if anything changed in his marketing efforts, Noah from ArtusCorp summed it up succinctly:

‘”Absolutely. Yes, it changed. I would not be sitting here talking to you guys without that.” 

Sometimes the speed of change is overwhelming. In modern manufacturing—especially small business manufacturers—this is often the norm.

life cycle concept

Sometimes the speed of change is overwhelming. In modern manufacturing—especially small business manufacturers—this is often the norm.

Many who were not privy to the digital marketing landscape prior to 2020 found themselves entering 2021 much more knowledgeable on the various mediums that can be used to connect with customers and clients alike. 

One medium, Instagram, has been a boon for manufacturers as of late—some manufacturers have been able to utilize Instagram for making connections, showcasing products, and even making sales. Jen Wegman of Insight Information Solutions has seen firsthand the benefits that Instagram has to offer:

“I would target fabricators and woodworkers who needed castors for their stuff and we would get consistent leads on Instagram and you’d think, ‘why is a manufacturer on Instagram?’ You’d be surprised.”

Forming connections and fostering relationships with sales goals in mind is nothing new. But this year, many manufacturers have discovered new and creative ways to accomplish this goal.

Wrapping Up

Modern manufacturing innovation comes in many forms. More often than not, it’s new technologies that drive innovation by finding novel ways to increase efficiency. Other times, it’s repurposing existing technologies to better fit the needs of a growing business.

Beyond technological advancements, manufacturing innovation also arrives in the form of new methodologies and processes. Your end goal remains the same—the path you take to get there, however, has shifted.

No matter the size or the shape of innovation, it is always just around the corner.

How to Gather Requirements for ERP Implementation

Posted on by Kseniia Goldovska

When choosing an ERP for your organization, don’t make the decision based on another business’s experience. Often, the same system could be both super-efficient and non-efficient depending on the specific needs of the business. 

The best way to thoroughly implement an ERP? Involve your employees in the process.

Where To Start

As you assess the requirements that an ERP will need to functionally support your business, you should evaluate the status quo. 

Every organization has bogged down, bottlenecked processes that hinder progress—

analyzing your organization’s bottlenecks is the first step in determining the reasons your business will benefit from implementing an ERP. As you do this, define the main goals that you’re hoping to achieve by implementing a new software solution. 

Invite your team to collaborate—you’ll need as many insights as you can to develop a clear picture of what your business needs in terms of an ERP solution. Don’t limit your collaboration to the C-suite. Everyone in your organization—from the CEO to the newest intern—will be able to give you valuable insight into the different requirements different members of your organization require. You can also include a third-party ERP consultant to get an outside perspective. 

Prioritize The Processes You Need

cloud computing graphic

The selection of ERP software mainly depends on your business’s specific areas of need. For example, if you’re looking to manage your projects more efficiently, you should enlist the services of a software system focusing on project & portfolio management. 

Together with your team, understand which processes your business places a priority on. 

Your first task: gather feedback from as many members of your organization as possible. A good way to optimize the process is to send each employee a questionnaire to collect as many independent opinions as you can. 

The next step: sit down with your employees that deal with the most frustrating bottlenecks your business has. They deal with them directly, so they’ll be able to give you the clearest picture in terms of what part of the process needs to be adjusted. 

Brainstorm with your team to define the specific pain points that your employees identified. This list of needed features and improvements will guide you in choosing an ERP. 

List Your Requirements 

After you have collected enough data to analyze, it’s time to make a list of the specific ERP functionalities that your organization needs. 

Your Requirements Should Be:

Avoid high-level descriptions and turn the pain points that your employees voiced into specific requirements. 

For example: Your employees spend too much time manually tracking financial flows → The Erp software you choose should have extended automation functionality for financial management, including keeping detailed financial records on all of your  projects, should allow you to check their status anywhere, any time, and should generate financial reports at time intervals of your choosing. 

You should be able to clearly determine the value that certain upgraded features will add to your business. 

For example: track how many hours are saved by ERP automation. If your employees are manually entering data in Excel, track how many hours were saved as a result of automation. In this way, you should be able to easily calculate the return on investment of your chosen ERP.

Don’t fall victim to unrealistic expectations—a software is only a software. There is no magical solution that will mend your business ailments overnight. The right ERP will act as a catalyst for your business—make sure that your employees are working diligently to make the most of the powerful new tools at their disposal.

Making The Decision

person looking at software

After you’ve formulated your requirements list, it’s time to choose the ERP software you want to use. Most ERP vendors offer a free demo of their product. These demos are custom-tailored to give you a preview of what specific functionalities the ERP can offer—make sure you choose an ERP that is deft in handling all of the delicate intricacies that only your business needs. 

Make the most of the ERP providers’ experience. Utilize their team of software experts to ensure that their solution is able to be a comfortable fit for what your business needs.

Technical implementation is a major factor to consider. If you have an in-house team of developers, consult with them before making a decision. They will be able to provide insights that someone less tech-savvy may have glanced over. 

If you don’t have a team like this on your payroll, enlist an ERP that is able to walk you through and assist you with the oft-complex process of data migration and implementation. 

Training Your Employees 

The successful implementation of your new ERP isn’t the end of the journey, it’s really just the start. Your employees need to learn how to use the system. 

Although your enterprise resource planning software was designed and developed to digitize your organization’s processes and increase employee efficiency, many of them may be reluctant to learn how to use a new software. Your task here will be to communicate the value of the system and to teach your employees to build new and better professional habits. 

This is an arduous task at first glance, but there’s good news—most ERP vendors offer personalized support & employee onboarding. Not only will a team of experts develop a software tailored to your businesses specific needs, but they’ll show you the ropes and train everyone in your organization on how to get the most of the software. 

Wrapping Up

The prospect of shifting the entirety of your business’s operations to a new ERP can be daunting on the surface. But like most things in life, breaking down this large undertaking into digestible chunks will help you through the process.

The Best Steps To Follow In This Process: 

  • Gather as many insights from as many employees as you can
  • Determine the main objectives of ERP implementation
  • Make a list of the specific ERP functionalities you need 
  • Prioritize them in order of importance
  • Talk to your ERP vendor
  • Implement the ERP
  • Utilize the ERP’s vendors expertise in teaching your employees how to use the software

ERPs contain a wide-ranging set of functionalities across an even wider range of industries. Not every ERP will be perfect for your business, but don’t fret—the perfect ERP for business is out there. 

Data-Driven Decision Making: A Guide To Working Smarter

Posted on by Matt Bernot

We all have hunches. Whether it’s at work or at home, we often rely on our gut.

Sometimes, it points us in the right direction. (Yes, that person across the bar did in fact smile at you.)

Other times, it keeps us out of harm’s way. (Aren’t you thankful that you dodged that foul ball with almost no conscious effort?)

While your gut is a valuable resource in scenarios like these, it can often lull you into a false sense of security for those looking to translate natural, instinctive insight into the business world.

There will always be those special, gifted few. You know, the ones who are able to make sense of and intelligently act on overwhelmingly complex data sets using only their natural brainpower. 

There are exceptions to every rule. Always have been, always will be.

But when it comes to your business, don’t bet on the exceptions. Bet on data-driven decision making. Let’s find out how data-driven decision-making can help your business. 

What is Data-Driven Decision Making?

According to Northeastern University, data-driven decision-making can be defined as “the process of making organizational decisions based on actual data rather than intuition or observation alone.”

To break it down even further, there are two types of data that will be relevant to your business: quantitative and qualitative data. 

Quantitative data focuses on cold, hard numbers. Sales figures, employee turnover, and shipping costs are examples of quantitative data.

Qualitative data focuses on non-numerical data. Examples of qualitative data relevant to your business would include things like employee interviews, customer reviews, and the job satisfaction of your employees.

data funnel

Both are important, yet neither provides a complete picture of your business and how it can build and sustain future success. When successfully cultivated, categorized, and deployed, these two types of data sets can transform the way your business makes decisions. 

Why Data-Driven Decision-Making Is Important

Sticking to the data allows systems and their respective algorithms to be strong in areas where humans are notoriously weak—acknowledging bias and false assumptions. Computers remove the ever-so-fickle emotional component of decision-making that more or less defines our humanity.

By allowing technology to guide and assist you along your decision-making process, your business will reap tangible benefits. 

  1. Reduced spending – If your technology is able to guide you in a more innovative direction (i.e., making less of one product than others) then your process has already begun to bear fruit. Ideally, allow data-driven decisions to limit waste.
  2. Faster decisions – Instead of belaboring over a decision and arguing over fickle details as a deadline approaches, allow data to make the best decisions for you. When a decision is able to be backed by data, the more sound that decision will be. 
  3. On-the-fly improvements – One of the best—and often most belaboring—things about data is that it is always shifting. While this may seem tiresome at first, it serves a purpose. By having access to a continuous stream of up-to-date information, you’ll be able to adjust your projects on the fly based on the most accurate information.

How to Support Data-Driven Decisions

It’s one thing to acknowledge the importance of how data-driven decision-making can help your business, but it’s another thing entirely to act on it. So how can your business use data to its advantage?

Before this process begins, some housekeeping is in order—organized data is the best data.

Let’s start by running through a list of questions to ask yourself:

What goals do you aim to achieve from making data-based decisions?

Are you primarily focused on brand awareness or conversions? Is your goal to improve an existing product or to launch a new one? Are your efforts focused on customer retention or customer acquisition?

Where does your data come from?

Is your data reliable? Has it been cross-referenced and analyzed for its authenticity? Have you gotten input from all of the pertinent employees from different silos of your business? Beyond all of that, is your data secure?

In what ways, if any, are you able to universally and easily view all of your data?

Can your data be viewed in digestible formats? Do you have dashboards, charts, and metrics accessible from all kinds of devices? Can your data infrastructure adapt to your growing and changing business needs?

filing cabinet computer

If you feel that you haven’t adequately answered these questions, that’s ok. There are plenty of ways to keep your data organized and all in one place.

Data for data’s sake is only valuable for mathematicians and scientists. For the 21st-century business owner, data needs to be clear, concise, and actionable.

Data-Driven Decision-Making Examples

No matter the size of your business, your business generates data. Whether it’s customer financial data, employee feedback, or social media activity, business data comes in all shapes and sizes.

While all data is valuable and useful, not all data serves the same purpose. For example, datasets containing customer transaction history won’t necessarily help you build a better HR department. A car is a great method of transportation—until you reach the ocean.

Let’s take a look at how businesses big and small used data to drive them toward profitable decision making:

  1. Netflix’s Hyper-Specialized Content – As a pioneer of mass digital streaming, Netflix has a huge subscriber base. Now, you’ve probably heard people say “You can’t please everyone.” Well, Netflix has come awfully close. By analyzing scores of consumers’ watching habits, Netflix has been able to tailor content specifically to their target audiences. One of their first success stories using data to drive their decision-making? House of Cards.
  1. Google’s Project Oxygen – In 2008, Google embarked on an ambitious journey to figure out how to better scout and develop managerial talent. They sourced lots of data points—performance reviews, technical assessments, surveys, etc.—and came to the conclusion that there were 8 main points that led to managerial success. In this case, data enlightened us that “having key technical skills” was the least consequential managerial asset. Who knew?
  2. Horne Label Manufacturing Success – Data-driven decision-making isn’t just for mega-corporations. Horne Label, the largest manufacturer of custom labels and tags in North Carolina, realized that they needed to work smarter. Feeling unorganized and limited by their current methods, turned to the help of a trusted ERP to improve their processes. By taking advantage of the streamlined automation and virtual dashboards now at their disposal, Horne Label was able to cut order input time by 50%. Beyond that, they can now view their data from anywhere, on any device. 

Your Data Is Unique

Every business has data, but only your business has your data.

It seems like an obvious point to make, but for some businesses, it’s not so clear. In our copycat culture, companies and business leaders are always aiming to replicate the success of their peers and competitors. This is great in many ways—the best innovations and ideas are often directly sourced from older, less fleshed-out concepts. But in other ways, it’s detrimental.

Instead of looking at the insights and profit margins that have come from large corporations analyzing their data, it’s best to look at how and why they did it.

Rather than asking “What kind of success and profit did their data analysis generate?” you should ask yourself why they chose to analyze data to begin with, and how exactly they went about parsing it. 

With all kinds of data solutions out there, it’s important that you choose the right one for your business. But one thing is for sure—data-driven decisions are the best decisions for your business.